NCJ Number
213081
Journal
Sheriff Volume: 58 Issue: 1 Dated: January-February 2006 Pages: 42-44
Date Published
January 2006
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes the sex offender supervision program of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency’s (CSOSA’s) Sex Offender Unit, which uses Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking to intensely supervise sex offenders in Washington, DC.
Abstract
Successfully used in Washington, DC, GPS tracking systems when combined with sex offender treatment, monitoring, and close supervision, increase the accountability of probationers and enhances the public’s safety. From April 2003 through February 2005, CSOCA placed 200 sex offenders on GPS tracking, which successfully linked probationers to new crimes in the community and identified violations in probationers’ behavior. The proactive supervision program involved more than just real-time or passive offender tracking, it also linked the use of GPS tracking to sex offender treatment, computer monitoring, and other supervision functions. Numerous case examples show how the use of the GPS tracking system bolstered the effectiveness of sex offender treatment and community supervision. The importance of staff training in areas such as sex offender typologies and sex offender community management was underscored as crucial to program success. Indeed, the author notes that staff commitment and knowledge are integral to unlocking the potential of GPS tracking systems for community corrections.